'Ride of Silence' honors cyclists killed or injured by motor vehicles

Cyclists who have been killed or injured by motor vehicles in the Rio Grande Valley were remembered in the Ride of Silence in Harlingen Wednesday evening.

Cyclists who have been killed or injured by motor vehicles in the Rio Grande Valley were remembered in the Ride of Silence in Harlingen Wednesday evening.

The Ride of Silence isn’t a race, but a procession to honor the fallen and remind everyone to share the road.

During the Ride of Silence, cyclists go to locations where riders were killed and place a “ghost bike” at the site.

"Having that ghost bike sit out there year-round is a constant reminder that you should put your phone down--not texting and driving-- and pay attention to the road," said Ride of Silence participant Rick Seija.

Dean Garza and Rick Seija honored their friend, John Zess, who was killed while on his bike in 2014. Zess was in a bike lane when a driver hit him.

"Very, very tough because he battled through so many illnesses--cheated death," Garza said. "To be taken away from us like that was really hard to deal with."

The Ride of Silence is a national event held during National Bike Month.